<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A werewolf's cub by The_Freedom_Girl</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29162289">A werewolf's cub</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Freedom_Girl/pseuds/The_Freedom_Girl'>The_Freedom_Girl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Baby Dudley, Baby Harry Potter, Gen, Remus Lupin Raises Harry Potter, Remus being the marauder he should have been, and the friend he should have been, they are cute so I wanted to add them</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:46:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,822</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29162289</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Freedom_Girl/pseuds/The_Freedom_Girl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Remus was a little braver than cannon and looked for Harry.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Remus Lupin &amp; Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>86</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I literally wouldn't have wrote this if I found at least one fic where Remus took care of Harry, and not just wolfstar or with Sirius platonically. No I mean, he marched up to Petunia Dursley and demanded he see Harry, Dumbledore approval or not...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Dursleys, residents of 4 Privet Drive are usually a quiet, normal family, living in a quiet and normal neighborhood. Not today though and not for the last year at least. For you see, precisely one year ago, on the first of November, there was a new addition to the family of three that lived there. A new, unwanted, addition, named 'Harry Potter'.</p>
<hr/><p>The wails and screams of a child filled the living room of the Dursleys' house. Young Dudley shouted for his mother's attention, with little Harry played with a toy car quietly in the corner.</p><p>Dudley seemed to be agitated. Nothing worked on him, not food, not changing his diaper, and not his favorite toy of the day.</p><p>"Come on, Dudders, what's wrong?" Asked a haggard, obviously tired, blond woman, while holding the wailing child, "Please tell mommy how to help you. So she can rest for a bit."</p><p>Before she could beg even more, the door bell rang.</p><p>The bell seemed to snap Dudley out of his tantrum; his eyes went to the door curious to know where the sound came from.</p><p>Thankful for the small reprieve, the mother went to open the door with the toddler in her arm.</p><p>"May I help you?" she said to the ragged young man at the door.</p><p>"Are you Petunia Dursley nee Evans?" he asked her. She looked at him for a few seconds; he had a scar on his face near his chin with light brown hair that had seen better days, he looked nothing like the residents</p><p>"Yes. Who's asking?" she said to him, he was obviously young, barely in his twenties, even if the misery in his eyes made him appear older than her.</p><p>"I'm Remus Lupin an old frien-" he was interrupted by the sound of tiny feet walking wobbly in his direction.</p><p>"Moomy!!!" Little Harry speeds towards him, recognizing the voice of one of his honorary father figures.</p><p>"Hello progslet. Glad to know you still remember me." Replied Remus squatting and holding his arms to catch the toddler</p><p>"You're one of Lily's freaky friends! Did Dumbledore send you?! He said that we will have no contact with your kind if we keep the Child!" screeched Petunia while holding Harry back with a hand, her other hand still holding Dudley, who started napping at some point.</p><p>"Moomy!" whined Harry, trying to reach Remus.</p><p>"Get back inside! NOW!" She pushed him inside the living room and closed the sliding doors. His crying could be heard from behind it.</p><p>Lupin looked longingly at the door before replying "No, he didn't send me. He doesn't know I'm here actually, I found you on my own."</p><p>That seemed to scare her even more than before.</p><p>"So we can be found?! What about the protection he said we will have??!!" she said in a low frightened voice.</p><p>Sighing, he replied "I don't know what protection he meant, but I assume it only works if whoever is looking for you have bad intentions."</p><p>Just then, Petunia saw the curtains on number 6 twitch. Realizing that she would be the talk of the neighborhood if this continues, she dragged Lupin inside the house and closed the door.</p><p>"MOOMY." Harry continued to wail in the living room, Remus stared at its door.</p><p>"So what do you want, so you can get out and never come again?" That got his attention back on Petunia.</p><p>"Never-? I just wanted to see Harry and ask to visit every now and then." He didn't think it was too much to ask to see young Harry, but Petunia seemed to think otherwise.</p><p>"VISIT?!" She exclaimed loudly, waking Dudley who start screaming again.</p><p>"No, no, calm down sweetie. Mommy's not mad at you, never at you." She kept talking until finally he calmed down again.</p><p>Meanwhile, Remus had slide carefully to the door of the living room trying to talk to Harry through it.</p><p>"Hey Progslet, It's alright, I'll get you out." then started to do just that.</p><p>"Moomy." The child replied, his voice strained from screaming too much.</p><p>"I told you to stay away from him!"She said, once she noticed him, ignoring her screaming toddler for the moment. "I was starting to think he might not be like the rest of you freaks!!! He will be a normal child or so help me god-"</p><p>A loud crack interrupted her and Lupin found himself with a delighted child in his arms.</p><p>"Mommy. I find you." Harry said proudly.</p><p>"Yes, you did find me, prongslet." Harry giggled happily and reached out with his arms to pull at Remus' hair, causing him to smile.</p><p>Petunia screeched loudly in response, with her son still crying in her arms.</p><p>"You will what?" Remus said calmly but his eyes spoke volume of the danger she will be in, if she hurt young Harry. "He's the son of two highly talented witch and wizard; of course he will be magical too." She flinched, looking at Harry in horror.</p><p>"Don't speak of those tricks your kind do in this house, I will not allow it!" she spoke firmly even with the fear shining in her eyes.</p><p>"Is that how you will deal with Harry? What about his accidental magic? You just saw him do it." He looked at Harry with pride, "and at such a young age too."He told him playfully tickling the boy's stomach.</p><p> He brought his attention back to the young mother and spoke to her softly but his anger was clear, "Will you ignore his magic? Or maybe try to beat it out of him? Are you really going to take out your jealousy on a small kid?"</p><p>"That is none of your business. Dumbledore left him on my doorstep, I get to deal with him as I see fit."She replied with conviction. "If Dumbledore wanted your opinion he would have left him to you."</p><p>"Dumbledore didn't have the right to take Harry from me at all. I only let him because he assured me that Harry was living with a loving family away from all the dangers the wizarding world poses for him right now." He confessed to her, but his eyes stayed on little Harry, so innocent and pure even after so much loss.</p><p>"Although I trusted Dumbledore for years, I now see he was wrong at least this once. You are too bitter to care for Harry as he deserves".</p><p>"If you don't like how I treat him then you can try yourself!"</p><p>He hesitated, not knowing how to respond. Thinking of all the problems he will face if he took Harry, tried to raise him, what will happen if anyone found out.</p><p>"Not so confident are you? And you claim to love the mutt." She said cruelly, thinking she won. It wasn't just about keeping the child, for she did not care for him, it was about admitting she was the only choice that they needed her, the wizarding world needed her help.</p><p>That seemed to resolve the mental battle in his head.</p><p>"I will take him."He whispered.</p><p>"What?" she almost didn't hear him, while her son noticing he didn't have her attention, has calmed down some time ago.</p><p>"I will take him." He repeated, "Give him to me and we will be out of your hair." He continued, getting more confident with every word.</p><p>"What if they come looking for him" she said referring to Dumbledore and his people.</p><p>"If you don't tell, they won't come looking for him until his 11<sup>th</sup> birthday at least." If they didn't check on Harry for a whole year still full of death eater attacks, the most recent one on Alice and Frank Longbottom, he doubted they will check anytime soon.</p><p>"And then what? They will find out we don't have him and kill us?!" she was getting hysterical at this point, which Dudley and Harry found hilarious for some reason.</p><p>"Of course not, Harry will be safe in Hogwarts at that point, so they won't even bother with you." He replied easily. "Dumbledore didn't tell anyone about where he put Harry, let alone who he left him with." He was sure of that one at least. If Dumbledore didn't even tell him, Minerva McGonagall, or any of the other members of the Order, then he doubted he would tell anyone else.</p><p>"Then how did you find us?" she asked skeptically, but she seemed appeased for now.</p><p>"I used the telephone directory." He replied smugly, "I'm a half blood you know, best of both worlds." He smiled sadly; these were the words Peter would always repeat to him.</p><p>"Lily…"He stopped for a second remembering his friend, "Lily told us you got married, last name and all."</p><p>He looked at her judgmentally for a second as if saying, "'Dursley'? Really?" before continuing "It was just the matter of looking for the area you were likely to be in. It took some time but I found you, didn't I?"</p><p>She ignored his look and thought for a few minutes before replying, "So this is it? You will take the kid and we'll never hear from you again?"</p><p>"Yes, unless you want to see him sometimes, he is your sister's son." She almost laughed, thinking he was joking, but his serious face stayed the same.</p><p>Petunia hesitated then, not refusing right away like he expected.</p><p>"Maybe, one day." She whispered as if afraid of saying it out loud.</p><p>"Very well, It's your choice in the end." he replies just as softly, not willing to break the moment.</p><p>After a few minutes of silence she came to herself, "you better go now before Vernon comes back from work." She got up with a calm Dudley in her arms, who she put down in the playing area in the living room, "Take the kid with you, he didn't come with that many things, but I'll give you a bag of diapers at least, you'll need it."</p><p>She put Harry's meager amount of toys and clothes in a bag with the diapers and gave it to him. He took it silently with Harry cuddling happily into his arms.</p><p>She hesitated at the door of the house, before saying, "If you need help with him, don't call Me." closing the door before he replied.</p><p>He stood there for a few seconds, until Harry started squirming in his arms.</p><p>"Hey, little guy. Want to go somewhere with uncle Moony?" said Remus turning his attention to Harry.</p><p>"Yeah, we see padfoo?" said the child hopefully, missing the fluffy dog and gentle man he always saw with Moony.</p><p>A pained look flashed on the adult's face before saying "No. No, padfoot is not around. He will never get near you if I have any say in it." Remus said solemnly, and then started walking with the toddler in his arms.</p><p>"No pafoo? Okay." Harry said sadly, but trusting in moony to know best, the simple logic of children.</p><p>They went on their way, the muggle way of course. If the ministry or Dumbledore found out what he has done, an Azkaban sentence for 'kidnapping and endangerment of the hero of the wizarding world' will be the least of his problem.</p><p>But if it means keeping Lily's and James' son safe, then he will take that risk.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was supposed to be a one shot, but I wanted to write more, so there you go, enjoy.</p><p>Also I realized I might have downplayed the Dursleys' abuse, but my head cannon is they started treating him like that when he started with his accidental magic, but they were borderline neglectful, so Harry mostly kept to himself.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Remus decided on adopting Harry, he thought the hardest part would be finding a way to keep him safe during the full moon. He was right of course, but it turns out his neighbor; Matt, had no problem babysitting Harry for the night.</p><p>But the hardest part for real had to be baby proofing his home. Every normal, every-day, harmless appliance have become a lethal weapon, that could harm Harry during his exploration of the new space he was allowed.</p><p>'The corners of the table and the chairs, very sharp, must soften them. Oh, the floor, if he fell from his bed or tripped while walking, he might injure his head and die!'  He must add cushioning charms there too. Thankfully, the place is one floor only. If he had stairs to worry about too, he might start getting grey hair.</p><p>A few hours of tiring work later, he looked around the apartment checking he didn't miss anything, "Maybe I should put some protective charms on Harry too, just in case I missed something." He says to himself, worried like any new wizarding parent.</p><p>"But at least it's livable this time, not like my last apartment."</p><p>His last apartment was more of a decomposing relic of the dark ages than a place a human being, or a werewolf, could live.</p><p>He had to thank the late Potters for the change. For Lily and James didn't forget Remus even in the middle of the war, they let him stay at an old nice cottage the Potter family owned, and since no one came knocking to get him out of it, he stayed, even if it made him disgusted in himself to take their hospitality beyond its limits.</p><p> He was already disgusted with himself for many reasons, adding another one to give Harry a loving home is absolutely alright in his book.</p><p>He was dragged from his thoughts by the soft whining of little Harry.</p><p>The child became attached to Remus once he became his only guardian, not that Remus was opposed, he was, in fact, ecstatic by this. It just made Remus worried that Harry didn't get enough attention at the Dursleys, but having two children at the same time, could have been the cause of that. For now he will shower the toddler with all the attention he deserves.</p><p>"What is it, Prongslet?" Said Remus to the toddler, just woken up from his afternoon nap.</p><p>"Up!" Harry replied, holding his arms up for Remus, energized despite his restless sleep the last few weeks.</p><p>Remus smiled softly, before complying with the cute order and pulling Harry in his arms then throwing him in the air. Harry was very delighted by this, giggling and laughing, loudly screaming, "higher! Higher!" with Remus throwing him higher, thinking of floating Harry in the air using magic, when he realized that Harry didn't come down after the last throw.</p><p>Looking up, Remus saw Harry floating by himself in the air, trying to reach the ceiling with his tiny hands.</p><p>"That child will be the death of me."He said fondly, keeping himself below Harry in case his magic failed him. Remus doubted that it would, accidental magic is very reliable with children, because they aren't aware yet of the limits of magical laws, of needing a wand, and its significance to each wizard. Children's magic is only limited by their imagination, which they have plenty of.</p><hr/><p>"You will not believe what happened with your kid yesterday." Was the first thing Remus' neighbor said to him when he opened the door.</p><p>Remus was obviously skeptical; Harry is used to staying the full moon with the neighbors, and the kid stopped being afraid after the first 3 months.</p><p>Before Remus could ask, his neighbor; Matt, continued, "I may have had one too many drinks because I can swear that I saw Harry's stag toy float to him." Matt said laughing, not believing what he saw.</p><p>'Guess this is the last time he can babysit Harry,' that was the thought going in Remus' mind all the way home, with a sleeping Harry in his arms, worried of how he's going to keep Harry safe and taken care of, during the next full moon.</p><hr/><p>Dear, Andromeda,</p><p>I need your help; I know we haven't talked much since Sirius'… incarceration, but you are one of the few people I can trust right now. I can't say more in a letter, so if you are agreeable to help me, please come to this apparition coordination next Thursday at 7 in the evening.</p><p>Remus.</p><p>He sealed the letter in an envelope and went to Erol, the Potter family's owl, whom he found in the cabin when he arrived with Harry.</p><p>Andromeda was a regular correspondent with Sirius once he was ran away in their sixth year. They bonded over their hate for Walburga Black and their freedom from the Black line, being the eldest in their respective families. That probably would have Remus distrust her, but the Marauders got to know her and her husband and she became like an older sister for them.</p><p>"Give this to Andromeda Tonks." He told Erol, while tying the letter to his leg.</p><p>She probably mourned James and Lily almost as much as he did. He should leave her I peace, but he was overwhelmed, there is only so much about children he knows.</p><p>'Now there is nothing to do but wait.' Harry cried from the living room, bored with his toys and wanting attention, 'Well, among other things.' And with a smile went to play with Harry.</p><hr/><p>"The only Reason I'm here is curiosity, to be honest. You practically disappeared after Sirius was caught." Andromeda said upon seeing him, no greeting necessary.</p><p>"I missed you too, Andy." He said with a tired smile, Harry was restless the last few nights, waking up every few hours.</p><p>"You look awful and the full moon is not for another week, so what's wrong?" she almost asked if he needed money, which she would have given him easily, even with none of the Black Family fortune in her hand, but she knew him enough to know he would never ask for help, monetary or otherwise.</p><p>"Not here." He said tensely then dragged her to a nearby alleyway to apparate back to his house.</p><p>"Nice place."She commented upon entering the cabin, before noticing, "You baby-proofed the place. Why?"</p><p>"How did you-?"She replied before he finished his question. "I have a toddler of my own, Remus, Remember her? Nymphadora, she's 8 now."</p><p>Remus remembered her, of course. She was the main reason Andromeda avoided joining the order of the phoenix, without revealing her distrust in Dumbledore for whatever reason. Not that he blamed her, after he saw Petunia; still bitter about lacking magic, he started to agree with Andromeda. "Anyway, don't avoid the question. Why did you baby-proof this place? Did you get married in secret? Is she-"</p><p>"NO!" He shouted in embarrassment, cutting off her torrent of questions, "I'm not married, never was, and probably never will." She looked at him sadly, knowing he considered himself too much of a burden on anyone, especially after what happened with his friends.</p><p>"Don't say that, I'm sure you will find someone, one who will make it worth the risk." He looked at her with broken eyes, too beaten up by the years to muster even a drop of hope.</p><p>Then after a moment he shook his head, took a deep breath, before saying "Before I tell you anything, I want an unbreakable vow from you, that whatever you find out here, will not leave the room without my permission first."</p><p>She hesitated for a second, but in the end she replied, "Alright, I will take the vow." before holding out her arm.</p><p>Seeing this, Remus relaxed a little bit, then held out his arm and held her arm with it.</p><p>"Will you keep what I tell you a secret and never tell it to another soul, human or otherwise?"</p><p>"I will."</p><p>"Will you discuss it with no one unless I gave you permission to tell them or I told them myself?"</p><p>"I will."</p><p>The magic flew between them sealing the vow.</p><p>With that, Remus relaxed completely. "I have Harry." He said simply to Andromeda.</p><p>"So Dumbledore left him in your care?" she said skeptically, "And the ministry allowed it?" that's unlikely, with the prejudices against all non-humans, especially vampires, werewolves, and giants, because of their allegiance with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in the war.</p><p>"Of course not." He replied. "Let's sit down. This will take some time to explain," before leading her to the living room.</p><p>Once they were comfortable he started his tale. "I will keep it simple and short. Dumbledore left Harry with Lily's sister; Petunia. She's a muggle with a muggle husband and son. He didn't tell anyone about this, just that Harry was safe, but I wanted to check on him. With a bit of digging, the muggle way, I found them.</p><p> During my visit, Harry had his first, I think, bout of accidental magic. Petunia, didn't like that, she was always jealous of her sister's magic. It seemed she was willing to take out her anger on Harry in that moment when he proved himself magical, I couldn't leave him there!" He started to sound desperate, desperate to explain, to prove he made the right choice by taking Harry, no matter the consequences.</p><p>"She looked ready to throw him far away from the house, from her family, or worse… I couldn't let Harry stay there, in a loveless house, hating himself." It seemed he wasn't talking about Harry anymore.</p><p>Remus's parents loved him, but they also feared him and feared for him, protecting him to the point of suffocation and that lead to those insidious thoughts, thoughts that he believed had died, but had seemed to return after the death of his friends, betrayed by one he considered family.</p><p>They were thoughts of being a burden, of everyone around him being better without him. His family would be safe. His friends won't be in danger every full moon. Dumbledore won't be criticized for putting a werewolf in school. He won't have to suffer every month. He won't fear for his life every day. Everyone will be happy-</p><p>"Remus!" Andromeda's voice snapped him out of the spiral his thought have taken him into.</p><p>"Are you alright?" she asked softly, worried for her old friend.</p><p>"I-" He was interrupted by the door bell. Relieved he won't need to explain where his mind was, he went to open the door.</p><p>"Good afternoon, Remus!" said Matt, standing at the door with little Harry in his arms, "I got a little something for you." before handing Harry to Remus. The toddler went easily, happy to be back in his father figure's arms.</p><p>"Thank you." Matt smiled, replying "See you around little guy." tickling Harry's little feet.</p><p>"Don't hesitate to call me again if you need anything."He told Remus with a smile and a wink before leaving.</p><p>Closing the door quietly, Remus took Harry to the living room, where Andromeda sat, listening. Upon seeing her, the toddler got quiet, not sure what to make of the stranger in his new home.</p><p>"Harry this is Andromeda." Remus said in a friendly tone, trying to coax the timid child.</p><p>"Excuse you," she said playfully, "call me Aunt Andy, because you will be seeing a lot of me from this moment on." She told Harry with a smile.</p><p>So maybe everything is not perfect, but it will be alright.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes, I still need a beta. Constructive criticism is still appreciated!!! <br/>I'll probably write at least 2 more chapters, though not sure when.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Can you tell I have barely any experience in writing? yeah...sorry. Constructive criticism would be nice.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>